The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said one out of 11 minicars fared well enough in the organization’s crash tests to qualify for its Top Safety Pick rating. The results mean this group of the smallest vehicles tested recently is also the worst-performing.

This is bad news for many car makers that rolled out tiny models to help reduce the overall fuel consumption of all the vehicles they sell. Consumers appeared to have grown fond of minicars in the past few years because of their high fuel economy and often fun-to-drive handling.

But safety is typically among the top concerns of new-car shoppers, so the test results could scare away potential customers and drive them toward larger, less fuel-efficient vehicles. Read More »

Two weeks ago, actress and singer Patti LuPone grabbed a cell phone out of the hand of an audience member who was texting during a performance of her current play, "Shows for Days." The bold move led to an outpouring of support from fans fed up with glowing screens. Ms. LuPone gives us her five rules of theater etiquette.